TheCable

President Goodluck Jonathan held a high-level security meeting in Aso Rock focussing on the latest blast at Nyanya and the kidnapped secondary school girls in Chibok.

He also named a Presidential Committee on the Rescue of the Abducted Female Students at Government Secondary School, Chibok.

The meeting had ended with a decision to set up a fact-finding committee comprising security agencies, civil society, international organisations and other stakeholders.

Jonathan‎ first met with security chiefs from 11am to 1.45pm.

The meeting reconvened at 4pm with the spokespersons of the security services, the team from World Economic Forum, ministers and some presidential aides in attendance.‎

Also in attendance were‎ Vice-President Namadi Sambo and Minister of Defence, General Aliyu Gusau.

The service chiefs and heads of intelligence agencies were also at the meeting.

‎Minister of Information Labaran Maku brief the media after the marathon meeting.

​He said: “On the latest bomb explosion in Nyanya, the President directed security chiefs to increase surveillance and expedite investigation into the explosion to ensure that those behind the heinous act are arrested and brought to justice.

​”The President also gave instructions for additional proactive measures by security agencies to enhance public safety, including increased public awareness for citizens to step up their cooperation with security agencies by reporting suspected activities and persons likely to cause a breach of public peace, safety and security.

​”On the unfortunate kidnap of the Chibok girls, the security chiefs briefed the meeting on efforts so far made to locate and rescue the girls, and bring the perpetrators to justice.

‎​”Extensive and intensive aerial surveillance by the Air Force has been carried out in all the routes leading into and out of Chibok up to the Chad and Cameroun borders. Other parts of Borno and Adamawa states are also under the searchlight.   Every information relayed to security agencies has so far been investigated, including the search of all places suspected as a possible hide-away of the kidnapped girls.

​”The police, backed up by the military and DSS, have combed and are still combing all reported places that the girls might have been taken to.”

​On the call for the cancellation of the World Economic Forum Africa scheduled to start on Wednesday in Abuja, Maku said: “No country shuts down operations because of terror attacks. We regret the terror attacks but Nigeria will continue to function. All measures are in place to ensure the World Economic Forum holds amidst tight security.”

The presidential committee on Chibok, to be inaugurated at the State House, Abuja on Tuesday, is made up of the following persons:

• Brig. General Ibrahim A. Sabo (Rtd.) – Chairman
• Barrister Femi Falana, SAN – Member
• Hajia Hawa Ibrahim – Member
• Hajia Fatima Kwaku – Member
• 2 representatives of National Council of Women Societies (NCWS)   – Member
• 2 representatives of the All one whom shall be a female
• Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS)     – Member
• 2 representatives of the National – Member
• Parents Teachers Association
• 2 representatives of the Nigeria Police – Member
• 2 representatives of the State Security Service  – Member
• 2 representatives of the Nigerian Army – Member
• representatives of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) – Member
• 1 Representative of the Federal Ministry of Information (who shall be the Committees’
• Spokesperson)– Member
• 1 Representative of the Federal Ministry of Justice – Member
• 3 Representatives of Borno State Government (two of whom, preferably, shall be women) – Member
• 1 Representative of the United Nations – Member
• 1 Representative of ECOWAS (who shall be a woman) – Member
• Permanent Secretary (Special Services Office) OSGF – Secretary